Self-closing gate



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W.- LEBO.

SELF CLOSING GATE- No. 413,193. Patented Oct. 22, 1889.

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(N0 Model 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. LEBO.

SELF GLOSING GATE.

Patented Oct. 22, 1889.

l3 arc/V66 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LEBO, OF TIPTON, INDIANA.

SELF-CLOSING GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,193, dated October22, 1889.

Application filed July 24, 1889. Serial No. 318,582. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LEBO, of Tipton, county of Tipton, and Stateof Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSelf-Closing Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts.

My invention relates to the construction of self-closin g gates, andwill be understood from the following description.

In the drawings, Figure l is aside view of my device, showing the gateclosed. Fig. 2 is a rear edge view of my device when the gate is open.Fig. 3 is a side view of the rear part of the gate and the attachedweight when the gate is open. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of theself-closing device, showing its manner of connectioirto the gate. Fig.5 is a view on the line 70 716, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on theline y y, Fig. 5. Fig. '7 is an inside face view of the plate to whichthe gravity-catches are pivoted. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the latchand its catches, with the handle of the latch and the rod on which itmoves. Fig. 9 is a top view of the same. Fig. 10 is a section on theline or 50, Fig. 1. Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are drawn upon a smaller scalethan the others.

I11 detail, 9 is a gate, whose frame-work is conveniently made of metalpipe or rods, the ends of the upper and lower bars being extended andhaving openings through which passes the hinging-rod 72, its ends havingbearingsin the plate above and sill below the gate. Near the front sideof the gate is a vertical rod '7', upon which is mounted the handle h ofthe latch Z, the latch proper passing through a mortise st in the frontbar of the gate, as shown in Fig. 8. This latch is lifted by the handleh, which has two arms, as shown in Fig. 9, so that it may be operatedfrom either side, and when it is lifted 011 the rod the latch of thegate will pass between and above the gravity-catches Z, pivoted at 1 oneach side of the plate pl, which is fastened to the post p by screwspassing through slots 81. These gravity-catches have lugs at the top,which strike against the squared central stop 3, placed between them toprevent their downward movement, and above the catches are pins 2 2,forming stops to limit their upward movement. If one of these catches Zis lifted by hand from either side, the latch will pass beneath it, andthe gate may be opened without lifting the gate-latch; but since thegate swings either way it is more convenient to push the gate from you,and the latch is to be lifted above the gravity-catch before the gateopens.

The fence-post at the right hand in Fig. 1

supports the latch-plate pl, and at the rear of the gate is an automaticclosing device, consisting of a weight 10, which is pivoted at 4=to anupper piecew, this latter being in turn pivoted at 6 to the swivel .920,which is pivoted at 5 throughthe top plate of the fence.

The central cross-barof the gate is conveniently formed oftwo parts, theforward end 17 having a socket which incloses a pin formed on the rearend 12, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This pin passes through an open spacebetween the two parts to w of the closing device, and a headed screw 7is driven into the outer end, the screw passing into a groove g and itshead into a wider groove g, formed in the back of the upper section w.This grooveis made curved, as shown in Fig. 45, so that as the weight woscillates in a twisting curve on the pin 4 the screw 7 will move up anddown in the grooves g 9 this groove serving practically as a guide, andalso for connecting the closing device to the rear part of the centralcross-bar while the gate is swinging. Upon lifting the latch Z by meansof its handle and opening the gate at right angles to its bearings inthe position shown in Fig. 2 it will be noticed that while the weight wis practically parallel with the hinge-bar and gate, moving upon itspivot 4., the upper sectionw takes an angle thereto, swinging on thepivot 6, and the swivel sw moves upon its pivoted pin '5, while thescrew 7 moves down in its grooves. This position of the parts, throughthe lifting of the lower weight, utilizes the gravity of the weight toclose the gate, and as soon as the pressure of the hand is releasedtherefrom its force will bring the weight to down to its normalposition, and all the parts are again in line with each other and thegate will be shut, the latch passing beneath the gravity-catches Z. Inorder to keep the weight in position,ajaw j is formed upon or connectedto the exten- IOO sion of the lower cross-bar of the gate, as shown inFig. 10, and in this rests the rounded forward edge of the lower end ofthe weight,which is cut out, as shown in Fig. 3, in order that thenarrower portion may enter the jaw, while the Wider part of the endhangs directly above the same. As the gate is opened, the weightislifted and its lower end,'which hangs in the jaw j, bears against thatside of the jaw opposite to the direction in which the gate is beingopened and tips the Weight over at an angle'to the upper section, towhich it is pivoted, until, as the gate is opened at a full right angle,the lower end of the weight will clear the jaw and the weight will hangsubstantially parallel with the line of the gate. The weighted partsthus pivoted together and connected as they are in relation to the gatewill at all times eX- ert a direct force to close the same, and it willbe noticed that there are no springs used,but the force of gravity aloneis relied upon for operating the self-closing mechanism, and its actionis direct at all times.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isthe following, viz:.

1. A self-closing gate hinged to a rod passin g through extensions ofthe upperand lower cross-bars, a jaw connected to the extension of thelowercross-bar, an automatic closing device comprising a weight, itslower end normally resting in such jaw and suspended at its upper endfrom a swivel or its equivalent connected to an upper plate supportedupon the fence-post, the central part of the upper section ofthe closingdevice grooved to admit a headed pin connected to an extension of thecentral cross-bar of the gate, such upper section pivoted to the lowerweighted section, and a frame-work for supporting the gate and itsclosing mechanism,substantially as shown and described.

2. A self-closing gate comprising a framework hinged to a rod havingbearings in upper and lower supports,an automatic closing deviceconnected to the rear of such gate, comprising a weighted sectionpivoted to an upper sect-ion, the latter in turn pivoted to a swivel,and the whole suspended upon a pivotal pin passing through the upperplate of the framework of the fence, the central part of the uppersection grooved to admit a headed pin connected to an extension of thecentral cross-bar of the gate, a latch passing through a mortise in thefront bar of the gate-frame, which is mounted on a vertical rod securedtherein, and a pair of gravity-catches pivoted to a front plateconnected to the gate-post and adapted to engage with the latch of thegate, all combined substantially as shown and described.

3. In a self closing and locking gate, a pair of gravity-catches pivotedto a plate secured to the inner face of the post, such plate providedwith stops to limit the upward and downward movement of thegravity-catches, a latch passing through a mortise in the gatet'rame andadapted to engage with such gravity-catches and connected to alifting-handle mounted'on a rod supported in the gateframe, incombination with a gate and automatic weight-closing device connected atthe rear thereof, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whcreof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of July,1889.

\VILIJIAM LEBO.

Witnesses:

O. P. J AOOBS, E. B. GRIFFITHS.

